A blog focused on the link between health and consciousness and the powerful effect of healthy thoughts

How Does Easter Relate to Longevity?

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By Ingrid Peschke

Ingrid Peschke writes regularly about the relationship between consciousness, spirituality and health. For the last 10 years she worked in publishing as a print/digital editor in Boston for a weekly magazine. She is a Christian Science practitioner
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Ingrid Peschke writes regularly about the relationship between consciousness, spirituality and health. For the last 10 years she worked in publishing as a print/digital editor in Boston for a weekly magazine. She is a Christian Science practitioner and also the media and legislative liaison for Christian Science in Massachusetts. Follow her on Twitter @IMPeschke and find her articles on The Huffington Post.

Easter weekend is a time of reflection, including both sorrow and joy for many Christians. But there's a silver lining in the life story of Jesus. Easter can serve as a reminder not just of his death, but the health-giving, life-promising effect of practicing the scriptural truths he taught and lived.

Whether or not you're a religious person, if you're health-conscious, you probably already know the studies that show how forgiveness, charity, love, kindness, moderation, gratitude and joy have a positive effect on well-being. These are all qualities that are emphasized in scripture and other spiritual traditions.

So what does spirituality have to do with health and longevity?

According to a 2012 Pew Research report, 80% of Americans say they practice some type of religion. Dr. Richard Besser, author of Tell Me the Truth, Doctor, says, "For many people, life-and-death decisions are grounded in a belief that a higher being will guide the outcome as much, or more than, the physicians and treatments involved. In addition, a support system based on shared faith can be extremely helpful in the healing process." (ABC News, "Is Religion Good for Your Health?").

Dr. Besser refers to the late Lester Breslow, a pioneer on connecting lifestyle choices with positive health outcomes. Breslow, affectionately referred to as "Mr. Public Health," recently died at the age of 97--his longevity a clear sign that he took his own advice. Over his 70-year career he helped show that the root causes of health problems go beyond a person's biological makeup.

Breslow is perhaps best known for a study out of Alamada, CA, from which he deduced the "Alameda 7" or seven habits that significantly contribute to longer living: do not smoke; drink in moderation; sleep seven to eight hours a night; exercise at least moderately; eat regular meals; maintain a moderate weight; eat breakfast. He found that a 60-year-old who followed these recommendations would be as healthy as a 30-year-old who followed fewer than three. (New York Times: Lester Breslow, Who Linked Healthy Habits and Long Life).

These basic lifestyle habits are becoming a more standard recommendation among health professionals today. Good "thinking habits" are becoming more mainstream, too. Happiness and a positive view of life promote better health as well. Like the study that followed 180 Catholic nuns who wrote autobiographies in their early 20s. Those who wrote positive stories tended to outlive the ones who wrote more negative accounts in their young lives. (See Happiness improves health and lengthens life, review finds)

Studies also show that people who have a spiritual connection and take time for prayer tend to be healthier and more at peace. Dr. Harold Koenig, founder of Duke University’s Center for the Study of Religion, Spirituality and Health, told me he's seen "how those who have a strong religious faith get better faster emotionally and physically." He cited well over 3,000 studies out now that suggest that religious involvement and prayer have a direct connection with a person’s health.

“Prayer gives them a better perspective,” he emphasized. “They believe that God is in control and that something good can come out of that and that they don’t have to struggle so long to fix a particular problem.”

The simple direction found in scriptural truths give people a solid guide in sensing divine protection in their life. This verse from Proverbs promises, "Let your heart guard my commands, because they will help you live a long time and provide you with well-being."

Life gives us all plenty of scenarios in which to practice this wisdom, and Easter can be a time that reminds us to make those life-affirming choices.

Ingrid Peschke is a Christian Science practitioner and legislative advocate for spiritual healing in Massachusetts. She writes regularly in the mind-body field, especially as it relates to health. For the last ten years she worked as an online and print editor in Boston for a weekly magazine. Follow her on Twitter @impeschke or her website at MassHealthBlog.com.